The Australian Democrats are calling for new regulations on the sale and marketing of alcopops, following a surge in teenage alcohol abuse.
Research last December by the Australian Divisions of General Practice revealed alcopops as the most popular alcoholic drink amongst young people, with children as young as 12 bingeing on 8 or more a night.
Democrats’ Health spokesperson Senator Lyn Allison said, “It’s clear we urgently need to address the escalation in youth binge drinking.
“Alcopops that are deliberately marketed and promoted at young people should be banned.
“Labelling and packaging standards are needed to make it clear that alcopops are alcoholic products and that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption for minors.
“Bottles should carry health warnings emphasising the dangers of excessive drinking; and those that don’t pass the ‘fridge door’ test should be banned.”
New South Wales MLC Dr Arthur Chesterfield-Evans said, “The Democrats are also calling for the sale of alcopops to be restricted to licensed venues.
“The Ministerial Council on drug strategy has recommended new requirements for alcohol advertising be introduced, but the measures they’ve recommended will achieve very little.
“We urgently need a national regulatory framework to ensure a more stringent enforcement of alcohol advertising standards.
“A longer term ban on television advertising of alcohol, as in France, would also be a significant step towards protecting young people from the very real dangers of excessive and under-age alcohol consumption.”
Senator Allison and Dr Chesterfield-Evans have outlined proposals for a change in regulations in a submission to the New South Wales Government review into alcopops.
